Chapter 248

• The river’s surface reflected the deepening sky, and I felt a quiet sense of belonging I hadn’t known in years. Julian rested beside me, his fingers laced with mine, a steady presence against the world. It was strange, to think that we had survived so much noise, so many storms, and now here we were, with nothing pressing but this moment.
• “I keep thinking about Simone and Claudia,” I said softly, watching a fish break the water’s surface with a small ripple. “All they did for me… all they held for me when I couldn’t hold it myself.”
• Julian nodded. “They are remarkable,” he said. “I’ve seen them stand beside you through everything. And they’ve always believed in you, even when you doubted yourself.”